I'm wanting to build a Y-block for my '62 Uni and would like to put a toploader 4 speed behind it. Question is will it bolt up, my guess is no and if not who makes an adapter to do so. Thanks guys for any help and info!!
A top loader will fit your Y block. Just get the early bolt pattern trans or the dual bolt pattern like the one I got out of a 68 Cougar.
It's a have-to (or the pilot bearing must be moved back). The first questions are, which factory transmission do you currently have, and where is the shifter located? That makes a huge difference on what needs to be done in order to fit the Toploader.
You did not say if you have a top loader. If you need to spend money, think about stepping up to a five speed. John Mummert sells a nice adaptor to put a five speed behind a Y block, after you drive a five speed, you will never go back.
I put one behind my '60 model Y and if your's has the big release bearing like my '60 did you'll have to machine a sleeve to make the bearing work on the toploader. The bolt pattern on the front bearing retainer is different so just changing them is not an option. Or at least thats how I did it......BobbyD
I dont currently have a tranny. I did do a bit of checking over on the Y blocks forever site and folks there are saying you have to shorten the input shaft if your using the small input version(small blocks) but if your using a big in (big block) version they're the correct length. You also need to turn the bearing retainer down on the tranny to fit the Y block bellhousing.
Not sure what you may have read over there...but there are substantial differences between car and truck Y block/Toploader conversions....
My '66 F100 currently has a 302 with a toploader out of a 66 or 7 Fairlane I believe and the shifter location on it is good for that pickup, not sure of the diffs between a '62 Uni and a '66 Regular cab.
Ok. It depends on which bell you are using for the Y block. Briefly: the input shaft of the Toploader is probably 6 1/2" long; the Y block truck bells are approx. 7 1/8" deep, so you have to either extend the shaft (preferred) or make some sort of adapter to move the pilot bearing back. Note that in some cases with certain clutch discs, etc., there simply is no room to move the bearing back, you have to extend the input shaft. The center hole of the bell will need to be enlarged, or, turn down the bearing retainer on the trans. Depending on the bolt pattern of the Toploader, you'll either be able to directly bolt it in place, or you'll need to drill new holes in the bell; no big deal. You will also (probably) need to deal with the shifter location and the driveshaft length; again, no big deal. You can generally use the Y block pressure plate (for a 3-speed), but usually you'll have to use a different clutch plate, one that has the right diameter for the pressure plate and the correct spline count for the trans input shaft. If memory serves a '68 Mustang 302/4-speed application will work. All this ^^ assumes that you have the correct bellhousing. You will (ideally) need to find a light duty 3-speed truck bellhousing, which will have the side mounts. I don't remember if '62 trucks use the hydraulic slave mount for the clutch, (I believe so), but if so, you'll need to find the appropriate bell. (note that '54-'56 truck bells do not have the slave mount provision). The Y block car bells are shallower and will work with the Toploader input shaft- if anything, sometimes you need to trim a bit off the shaft- but they do not have the side mounts, which means you have to go to a whole lot more work. Lastly, the 4-speed truck bellhousings will not work with the Toploader at all.
Thanks for the info homespun. Any info on how to ID a light duty 3 speed bell in the field? What did the car bells use if they didn't have the side mounts, were they on the engine block instead?
The passenger car mounting system is (mostly) similar to something more modern...side block mounts and a trans tailshaft mount. T-Birds are a bit different. The bells look (externally) pretty much like you have seen on everything else. The trucks use a big bolt-on front mount on the timing cover, and the bell side mounts. (Not sure if you still have any of the Y pieces for the '62.) The bell you are looking for has what I call the "high and narrow" pattern; it's basically (almost) a rectangle pattern on end. This bellhousing has a input shaft length of 7 1/8" and a bearing retainer hole of 4.675" ID. The Toploader retainer is usually 4.85" OD. The truck bell that you don't want- for the HD 3-speed, the 4-speed, and 5-speed, has a completely different pattern that is about 8 1/2" across by 4 3/4" high. The bearing retainer hole is 5" ID. Looks like this: It is possible to use these HD 4-speed bells with Saginaw 3 & 4-speed transmissions with some work, but not with T-10s, Toploaders, or T-5 5-speeds. Photo stolen from Rob Lee, the bad-ass Lincoln Y block drivin' man.
My 58 has a y-block with a toploader out of a 67 289 mustang,some previous owner put it in,I can tell where they modified the bellhousing,It is a truck bellhousing,the problem with mine is the shifter comes through the floor a couple inches under the seat,so i had to make a new shifter arm to curve around the seat.
Someone actually does make a T-5 adapter for this bolt pattern. It took me two days to find someone who does, but check out: http://www.safepay.net/cgi-bin/shop...xt&category=Adapters&merchant=moderndriveline Its the same transmission bolt pattern that they used on their 170 and 200 straight sixes. The company suggest using only late eighties-early nineties Mustang T-5's because of the length of the input shaft. Check it out. Here's the picture from their site:
Scotch, I could be wrong...but I don't think it's the same size. The HD bolt pattern is freaking big, wider than a T-5 by far. If you look at the MD plate the two patterns are pretty close in width. I'd dearly love for you to be right, though, and me be wrong. Have you actually got one of these animals? You can actually hook a GM Saginaw 3-speed or 4-speed up to one of these bells, fairly easily, too. Royce Brechler told me about it a few years back and I tried it. Comes in handy for the Lincoln Y (which is where he got the idea) because car manual bells are almost non-existent, but the truck bells for the medium & heavy trucks are not uncommon.
I agree, that adapter won't work. However the 4 speed truck bellhousing has been adapted for a T5 by drilling new holes and fabricating a spacer ring to center the T5 in the larger hole.
I made a spacer and only had to drill 1 extra hole and egg the rest out.t5 and 3 years lots of miles!
Post up some more details on the clutch disc, pressure plate, etc.....and did you have to mill the back of the bell?
The input shaft needed nothing or the bellhousing either.s10 pilot shaft bearing,lincoln pessure plate,throwout bearing.Overdrive RULES, 85-90 2600 rpms or so. Hope this helps,Rob
This is the sleeve I spoke of in my earlier post everyone seems to be overlooking. If your going to use the big release bearing (which with some forks is a must) then this has to be done on T5's and toploaders....BobbyD
sorry to dig this out of the earth but. on my swap there is no pressure plate showing mine is all cluch disk, what happened ?
Rob, sorry for the long delay in response. I lost my password, thank you for the tech. Man I need overdrive.
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